John Malcolm “Mac” Gobel
Mac Gobel was alive from 1905-1987. He coached from 1935-1970. He went to Alma College where he played exceptional football. At Alma, Mac graduated with a degree in Physics and Chemistry.
After college he worked as a chemist testing sugar content in beets. His college, Alma, let him know that Belding high school was looking for someone to teach math and coach football. Because he had played football and had a math background as a science major, he took the job. He worked there from 1930-1935.
At the beginning of the 1935-1936 year, he started teaching at Charlotte high school as an advanced math teacher and coached in 4 sports his first year. Those sports were football, basketball, track, and baseball. He only coached baseball for the one year.
On June 6th 1936, He married Billie. She had graduated with an Elementary “life” Teaching certificate from Central Michigan College. During college Mac was working at J.C. Penny’s to pay for his schooling and that’s where he met his soon to be wife, “Billie”. She taught until they got married.
In 1941, Mac had his first undefeated team. The field, track, and stadium were dedicated to him. Between 1942 and 1945, Mac rode his bike from the high school to the football field because gas was rationed for war. It was over a mile one way. In 1949, Mac stopped coaching basketball because it was too much to do three sports, teach, and worry about his 2 daughters at home. But he still coached track and football. In 1950 He got his master’s degree at Michigan State University.
In 1956, the team went undefeated again. He thought about retiring that year but decided to stay to open the new league. In 1957, the team went undefeated again. He decided to quit while he was on top and retired from both sports. Detroit Free Press named him as “High School Coach of the Year” for the state of Michigan. Mac stayed as the athletic director. When Mac was unable to find a cross country coach, he took the job himself. He coached that from 1965-1970 and had 2 State Championship teams in those years.
In 1970 after cross country, he retired. He lived for another 17 years until October 3rd, 1987. He passed away peacefully that afternoon, in his home, with his wife and daughters by his side. He had been on kidney dialysis for the previous six months and his body just shut down. That morning the current coach and 3 co captains came over to present the game ball to let him know the game was dedicated to him. In 1991, the football field was completely renovated and rededicated to him. He was later inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame and is also in Alma’s Athletic Hall of Fame. June 13, 1958 is known in Charlotte as “Mac Gobel Night”, because Many people put together a ceremony for him and presented him with an engraved over-under Browning shotgun.
Mac Gobel was alive from 1905-1987. He coached from 1935-1970. He went to Alma College where he played exceptional football. At Alma, Mac graduated with a degree in Physics and Chemistry.
After college he worked as a chemist testing sugar content in beets. His college, Alma, let him know that Belding high school was looking for someone to teach math and coach football. Because he had played football and had a math background as a science major, he took the job. He worked there from 1930-1935.
At the beginning of the 1935-1936 year, he started teaching at Charlotte high school as an advanced math teacher and coached in 4 sports his first year. Those sports were football, basketball, track, and baseball. He only coached baseball for the one year.
On June 6th 1936, He married Billie. She had graduated with an Elementary “life” Teaching certificate from Central Michigan College. During college Mac was working at J.C. Penny’s to pay for his schooling and that’s where he met his soon to be wife, “Billie”. She taught until they got married.
In 1941, Mac had his first undefeated team. The field, track, and stadium were dedicated to him. Between 1942 and 1945, Mac rode his bike from the high school to the football field because gas was rationed for war. It was over a mile one way. In 1949, Mac stopped coaching basketball because it was too much to do three sports, teach, and worry about his 2 daughters at home. But he still coached track and football. In 1950 He got his master’s degree at Michigan State University.
In 1956, the team went undefeated again. He thought about retiring that year but decided to stay to open the new league. In 1957, the team went undefeated again. He decided to quit while he was on top and retired from both sports. Detroit Free Press named him as “High School Coach of the Year” for the state of Michigan. Mac stayed as the athletic director. When Mac was unable to find a cross country coach, he took the job himself. He coached that from 1965-1970 and had 2 State Championship teams in those years.
In 1970 after cross country, he retired. He lived for another 17 years until October 3rd, 1987. He passed away peacefully that afternoon, in his home, with his wife and daughters by his side. He had been on kidney dialysis for the previous six months and his body just shut down. That morning the current coach and 3 co captains came over to present the game ball to let him know the game was dedicated to him. In 1991, the football field was completely renovated and rededicated to him. He was later inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame and is also in Alma’s Athletic Hall of Fame. June 13, 1958 is known in Charlotte as “Mac Gobel Night”, because Many people put together a ceremony for him and presented him with an engraved over-under Browning shotgun.